I'll Come Running

Chapter 67

"Charley, I'm leaving!" Jessie called out as she adjusted her leather jacket while walking out of her and Rafe's shared room. The thud of her converse could be heard padding against the hard wood as she made her way to the Fourier. As she heard little footsteps she began to put on her knitted hat, scarf, and gloves. She bent down to meet the toddler dancing towards her, with Rafe following closely behind still in nothing but his sweatpants. Jessie knew he wasn't going to get any work done today, but that wasn't for her to worry about.

"Mommy, where you goiiiiing?" Charley asked innocently as she reached in for a hug.

"I'm going shopping!" Jessie said, not a lie, but she couldn't tell her the whole truth for obvious reasons.

"So just me and daddy?" Charley asked, this time with a beaming excitement as she looked up at her father and clapped her hands together.

"That's right, sweetheart. Just you and daddy." Rafe reiterated as he leaned down to get on the same level as his girls. Charley screeched in excitement and the two couldn't help but laugh at her. The mom and daughter exchanged hugs and kisses... Jessie and Rafe opted out.

"You have your card? The one I gave you last week?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, the driver should be out front when you get down there."

"Driver? I don't need a driver."

"Come on, don't be stupid." Rafe said nonchalantly as he shook his head. "Who else is gonna carry all the bags?"

"I... wasn't planning on getting enough stuff to where I would need help... Charley doesn't need that much... she's three."

The two of them both look at each other with looks that showed they were clearly not on the same page.

"What, we're not allowed to spoil her?" Rafe asked in an accusatory tone.

"She doesn't need to be spoiled. She's been perfectly fine with everything that she's gotten over the years, and she has had just enough stuff to play with." Jessie became defensive, thinking suddenly that maybe she didn't provide enough of the years of christmases for her daughter. But then again, she was doing her best, and the thought only made her angrier that Rafe didn't seem to understand that.

Rafe didn't feel like arguing. Instead he just pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head while looking at the floor with a hand on his hip.

"Ya know what? Fine. Just... take the car, okay? It's icy out there."

Jessie simply nodded her head, a little taken aback that Rafe showed some form of concern.

"I also need to buy for the Pogues too... since they're coming in... or have you already forgotten about that?"

"No." Rafe sassed with narrowed eyes and a mocking tone. "I did not forget thank you..." Rafe now looked out the window and then back at Jessie, making sure to look her up and down with judgement. "Did you forget that we have guests coming over tonight?"

Jessie cocked her head in reciprocated judgement.

"We don't have guests coming over... you have guests coming over. And no I didn't forget."